Interlocking rail-joint.



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INTERLOC APPucAT mN FILE RAIL JOINT.

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Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

HENRY L. BETTEN, OF ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA.

IN'IEELOCKING RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7,1915.

Application filed March 31, 1915. Serial No. 18,392.

'1 '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY L. BETTE'N, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alameda, in the county of Alameda'and State of California, have invented a new and useful Interlocking Rail-Joint, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain improvements in track structures and has relation more particularly to a rail joint with the meeting ends of rails so overlapped and in terlocking as to afford a practically continuous length of rail without the absolute ne cessity of binding suchmeeting ends of rails together by the means of bolts or similar means of fastening.

The invention consists in' the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved interlocking rail joint whereby certain important advantages are attained and the device is rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenient and advan tageous for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in the appended. claims.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a sectional view taken through a rail joint constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of the meeting end of one of the rails compressed in my improved joint; and Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the meeting end of the second rail comprised in my improved joint as herein set forth.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, 1 and 2 denote adjacent rails having their meeting ends provided with. extensions 3 and 4, respectively, adapted, when assembled, to overlie in order to afford a scarf joint or connection and, as herein disclosed, the extension 3 of the rail 1 includes the head or tread of the rail and the lateral half of the web and one of the base flanges, as is believed to be clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings; and it is to be observed that in order that such extension, or more particularly the tread portion thereof, may have the requisite strength the adjacent web portion 5 of the rail is materially thickened and it will also be observed that the flanges (3 of the rails are also thickened. The inner face of the extensions 3 or more particularly the tread portion thereof, is provided in close proximity to the base thereof with the elongated shoulder or tongue 7 extending entirely therealong and of a thickness less than the thickness of'the adjacent portion of the web 5, while the'under sur face of the head or tread portion 8 of the extension 3 is provided with the recess or groove 9 substantially semicircular in cross section which is adapted to receive the rounded upper edge 10 of the extension 4 of the rail 2, such extension being herein shown as including the web portion 11 and the base flanges 12, such web portion and the flanges being produced in a manner somewhat similar as has been set'forthrelative tothc extension 3 except that in lieu of the shoulder or tongue 7, the inner or exposed face of the extension 3 is provided with an elongated recess or channel adapted to snugly accommodate the shoulder or tongue/Y, as is believed to be self evident. In assembling the rails, it will be readily perceived that the rail, or more particularly the extension 3 thereof, occupies the inside position of the trackstructure andthe interlocking or joining is effected by tipping the inner rail at an angle of about thirty degrees, hooking it over the ends of the adjoining rails and then allowing the rail to drop into a vertical position whereby it will be seen that the grooves and shoulders or tongues on the rail 1 will promptly engage with the rounded edges and the channel of the rail 2 and form a lock against separation by purely lateral or vertical strain and thereby avoid the use of bolts or the like.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that a track structure constructed in accordance with, an embodi ment of my invention is of an extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive nature and is particularly Well adapted for use byreason of the convenience and facility with which the meeting ends of the rails may be interlocked or joined and of the strength possessed by such joint and it will be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification and for that reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangeand-base, the upper edge of such extension be ng'rounded and pro ecting Within the rement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice. 1

I claim: 1. A scarf joint for the meeting ends of rails comprising an extension on one of the,

rails including the head, Web and a flange thereof, the extension of the Web being of less thickness than the adjacent portion of the Web proper, the under surface of the head adjacent the inner side of the extension of the Web being formed with a recess, and a tongue formed longitudinally of the extension of the Web and projecting from the inner face thereof; the extension of the adjacent meeting rail end comprising the Web cess in the extension of the head of the first .railand said extension having a longitudinally disposed channel produced in its inner face adapted to receive the tongue on the inner face of the extension ofthe first rall, such rails being assembled by a relatively lateral tilting movement.

2. A scarf joint for the meeting ends of rails comprising an extension onone of the rails'including the head, Web, anda flange Copies of this patent' may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

face of the extension of the first rail, such rails being assembled by a relatively lateral tilting movement.

8. A scarf joint for the meeting ends of rails comprising an extension of one of the rails including'th'e head, Web and a flange thereof, the under surface of the head being formed With a recess, and a tongue formed 4, A scarf joint for the meeting ends of V rails comprising an extension of one of the rails including the head, Web and a flange thereof, the under surface of'the head being formed With a'recess; the extension of the adjacent meeting rail end comprising the Web and base, the upper edge of said extension projecting Within therecessin the extension of the head of the first rail; the

Web of one of the extensions of the rails being provided With a recess, the Web of the second: extension being provided with a tongue adapted to be received Within said recess; said rails-being assembled by a rela tively lateral tilting movement.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses. HENRY L. BETTEN.

Witnesses: o o

W. J. Rooms,

ETHEL E. BETTEN.

Washington, I). O. 

